Chinese Tom Toms (Paigu)

A full set of five Chinese tom toms — paigu — in 7", 9", 11", 13", and 15". Each drum is double-headed and fully tunable, so you can set the intervals a score actually asks for instead of living with whatever pitch shows up. The heads are thick calfskin — almost rawhide — which gives the set its deep, woody crack instead of the slap of a plastic head. Every drum rides on its own height-adjustable stand with casters and tilts to whatever angle the player wants, so the set can be arranged tight around one player or spread across a section. Lacquered red shells with hand-painted floral panels — they read as beautifully under stage light as they sound in the room.